A two stroke engine comprises a cylinder, in which a combustion chamber bounded by a piston is formed, and an intake passage. A carburetor forms a section of the intake passage, within which a throttle element is mounted pivotably, and at least one main fuel opening and at least one idling fuel opening open into the intake passage, which is divided downstream of the carburetor into an air passage and a mixture passage. The idling fuel opening feeds a secondary passage arranged within the mixture passage. In the idling position, the throttle element may be arranged adjacent to the upstream entry opening in the secondary passage, and the throttle element may have an opening which, in the idling position of the throttle element, is arranged in the region of the entry opening and connects the secondary passage to that region of the intake passage located upstream of the throttle element.